Ch. 21 Carnage

Traversing through the mountains at high speed was easily achievable by Ren and Meng. Ren would spread his spirit sense out every so often to look for evil cultivators.

They had found 3 so far but they were all small fry. Ren needed to kill 7 more for the skill book. Along the way he challenged a Late Sky stage woman. She was middle aged and was dressed in long blue robes with a veil. Ren had used 5 moves to make her admit defeat. He laughed it off afterwards but kept receiving odd looks from the woman.

A less than 6 year old child had just defeated her. Anyone's confidence would hit rock bottom if that were to happen.

After a couple hours they decided to take a rest. Ren hunted a boar, the duo set up a fire and roasted it. After filling up and putting out the fire Ren sensed ill intent that was directed at Meng. He used spirit sense and saw they were surrounded by 20 masked men. He casually walked over to her and informed her in a low voice. Mengmeng used her spirit sense to see their positions. She nodded after hearing his plan.

"I'll be right back, Going to fetch some water from the river" Ren playfully said

He jogged away from their rest site. After arriving in a heavily wooded area he used Silent steps to flash behind a masked man and took his head without making a sound. He managed to do that 5 more times. Bringing his enemies down to 14.

The masked men caught on quickly and one yelled "They've found us out! Grab the woman and retreat!"

4 men approached MengMeng with lustful eyes. all four directions were blocked off by an enemy.

Mengmeng drew her sword once and disappeared. A second later she reappeared and sheathed her sword. The 4 men who were confused each looked to their left to see if another one of their comrades noticed anything- their head turned and didn't stop. 4 heads fell to the ground and the bodies followed shortly after.

"BITCH" The rest of the men who were on guard looking for the threat in the woods turned and rushed at MengMeng.

She gave a cold glare at them and disappeared again. This time she was high up in a tree. She looked down at the scene and just patiently waited.

Ren was using the concealment cloak as he had 12 minutes of time; he just watched as the masked men cluelessly looked around the area. Soon the man who seemed like their leader said "Forget it, we lost 10 men. How are we going to explain this to the vice sect leader? Let's go."

10 masked men walked in pairs away from the campsite. Soon 10 became 8 as Ren assassinated two in one smooth movement. He flashed away afterwards to make it seem as if their lives were taken by a ghost.

"Wha-What happened to them?" One man asked

The leader bellowed "Circle up! There's an assassin! F*ckin coward."

a voice that came from thin air sounded in the leader's head "Coward? The man who abducts women and takes lives as if they were dirt? Peh, I could take your lives as if they were dirt but i feel like playing with you all instead"

"WHO?!" he screamed

Another flash and another 2 men dropped dead while an audible voice was heard saying "Me" a peal of laughter was following.

"Dammit!" the leader was scared out of his wits. A late Sky stage martial artist's life was worth less than grass to this assassin.

Ren flashed past the group again and killed another 3 men but this time instead of disappearing he calmly looked at the leader of the group.

"tsk tsk.. Too bad the afterlife will be much worse than the short suffering you received from my sword. I wish I could have enjoyed myself more." Ren said as he looked around at the headless bodies on the ground.

"Wh-who are you and what do you want?? Money? Women? I can give those things. Power? Join our sect and you'll enjoy playing with the lives of the innocent as much as you please!" the man kneeled as he spoke.

"Power? Women? Wealth? You're clearly not all there in the head. Tell me where your leader stays and I'll spare your life" Ren stated as if it were the truth.

The man fumbled around in his pockets then took out a map of the mountains in the surrounding area "This map shows all of our hideouts. The leaders change the locations every other week. I've been out for a month with this group and we were searching each hideout looking for the main group."

Ren could tell he wasn't lying. "Alright. Mark the places you have searched already. When is the next date they move locations?"

"Yes, I will. They move in 5 days" he marked 4 spots they had already visited.

"Last question, How many Heaven stage martial artists are in your sect?"

"4. 1 late 1 middle and 2 early" the man said trembling

"You dare lie to me?" Ren glared at him with black eyes

"No-No of course not! 2 late and 2 early. The vice sect master had advanced 6 months ago but it was kept under wraps. My apologies!" The man said kowtowing.

"Good. Thanks for the information." Ren swung and took his head.

"gahh I feel like killing these animals is dirtying my sword" he said in disgust.

Meng came down from the tree and arrived at the scene. They worked together to burn the bodies to ashes. Ren told her the news and showed her the map.

Ren pondered if they should risk it and search for the hideout or if they should go back to the sect with the information..

They had teleport talismans so they could go back to the sect if needed. Ren decided to risk it and search for the hideout.

There were 23 locations and only 4 had been marked. Ren and Mengmeng could visit roughly 3 a day. They were spread out and highly concealed.

At the 2nd hideout they visited there were about 50 men inside. Ren snuck in and massacred them all. This time they didn't hide the evidence. He wanted to let them know someone was coming for them.

Day 4 of their search. They had gone through 12 locations and killed about 600 men. Not one person escaped from their grasp. Ren took all of the loot inside the hideouts into his storage. Strangely enough they didn't find any people other than masked men at the locations. No captives or slaves. Ren got very suspicious.

They stopped for the night to rest. Ren talked it through with Meng and also the system. They concluded that the Yin Soul sect was using the captives as resources. Pure souls and virgin women were devoured, their lives were used to strengthen the evil cultivators.

Meng gritted her teeth. Her parents were killed and used for others' benefit. It was a miracle she wasn't killed as a child.

On the fifth and final day they had to find the main base, they were heading towards their last hideout of the day. Ren grabbed Mengmeng and held her back saying "There is an early Heaven stage in there. I can assassinate him with the help of my elemental powers. You need to guard the entrance and keep the small fry from escaping. All must be killed."

"un"

Ren cloaked himself and made his way in. He first searched for the elders at Sky stage. Taking them out 1 by 1. It wasn't difficult to kill someone who had no idea you were there.

After cleaning up the Sky stage martial artists he headed towards the man at Heaven stage. He entered the room silently while concealed.

"You've come" The man got up with a smile and took his mask off.